In the Blink of an Eye- Story Four: My's Alternate Season 4
by Mychand
Summary: Caitlin loses her memory after being injured in a car accident. What happens next could bring her and Hawke closer together or tear them apart.
1. Chapter 1

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter 1

Caitlin was sitting behind the desk at Santini Air trying to sort out some paperwork for Dom. String was doing some repairs and every once in awhile Caitlin and Dom could hear him swearing under his breath.

"What's the matter with him today?" asked Dom.

"I don't know,' replied Cait. "He's been that way all day. Actually he woke up in a bad mood and he's barely spoken to me."

"You do something to make him mad?" Dom asked.

Caitlin frowned. "If I did, I certainly don't know what it is. I thought things were fine last night."

"Well, I'm sure whatever it is, he'll get over it shortly," said Dom.

"Yeah, well if he doesn't snap out of it soon," Caitlin said as loud as she could so that Hawke could hear. "I'm going to have to drop him on his ass."

About an hour later String threw down his tools and yelled to Dom that he needed to get out of there for awhile. He jumped into the jeep and took off.

"Maybe I should have a talk with him when he gets back," said Dom.

Caitlin couldn't help but worry. "I guess it couldn't hurt," she said. "I haven't seen him like this in a long time."

The two continued to work and about two hours later String returned. He had a cup of coffee in his hand and went straight back to work without talking to Dom or Caitlin.

"Dom, I'm going to go and run some errands," said Caitlin. "Maybe he'll talk to you if I'm not around."

"Okay," said Dom. "Don't you worry, I'm sure it's nothing."

Caitlin gave Dom a half smile as she headed out to her car and drove off. "What has gotten in to him?" she thought. "Things were fine when I left him and went to bed last night."

Caitlin thought about the previous evening. She was tired so she went to bed before String. When she left him, he was looking through some old books he had taken down from the shelf. He had kissed her and told her goodnight. She went to bed only to wake up and find him acting like a completely different person.

After Caitlin left Santini Air, Dom walked over to String and quietly stood beside him.

"What do you want Dom?" he asked.

"I want to know what's gotten into you today" Dom replied. "That girl loves you and you are suddenly acting like she doesn't exist."

String sighed. "I love her too. I just needed some space from her today," he said.

Dom shook his head. "Listen String, you need to learn a lot about relationships and women," he said. "They don't like it when you keep things all bottled up. It drives them crazy."

Hawke tried not to laugh at his friend. "I know," he replied.

"So what's bugging you?" asked Dom.

String took a sip of his coffee before answering. "Last night I was going through some old books. I was looking for an old family recipe that I thought I put in one of them," he said. "Instead I found a letter that Gabrielle had written when she was staying with me."

"I see," said Dom. "So what does this have to do with how you're treating Caitlin?"

"It's hard to explain," replied String. "I waited for her to go to bed before I read it. The more I read, the guiltier I felt."

"Because you still love Gabrielle?" Dom asked.

"No, that's just it Dom," he replied. "I realized that she would have never stayed with me. As much as I thought I loved her, it would have never worked out."

"Then why do you feel guilty?"

"Because Gabrielle is gone and I have Caitlin," he replied. "If Gabrielle had lived, I probably would have never met Caitlin. I can't imagine what my life would be like now without Cait."

"String, I think Gabrielle would have wanted you to find love again," said Dom. "I believe in fate and Cait is one of a few people who know how to handle you."

"Yeah, and I think she really could drop me on my ass if she wanted to," said String.

Dom and Hawke began to laugh.

An hour went by and Dom was starting to wonder why Caitlin hadn't returned from her errands yet. He was just about to comment to String when the phone rang.

"Santini Air," Dom said as he answered it.

Hawke walked up to Dom as he watched his friend listen intensely to the speaker on the other end of the phone.

"What?" asked Dom. "What happened? We'll be right there."

"What's going on Dom?" asked Hawke.

Dom put his hand on String's shoulder before answering. "It's Caitlin. She's been in a car accident," he replied. "Michael says they've taken her to the Firm's hospital."

Too shaken to drive, String let Dom get behind the wheel of the jeep. He felt his heart racing.

"I can't lose her Dom," he said repeatedly. "I can't lose her. She can't leave me too."

"She's a fighter String," said Dom. "Don't you dare give up on her."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

String and Dom rushed down the long hospital corridor to Michael who had been waiting for them.

Hawke fired off a series of questions to Archangel. "What's going on Michael?" asked Hawke. "How did they know to bring Cait here? How is she?"

"Slow down Hawke," Michael replied. "One question at a time. They're still examining her. Hopefully we'll know something soon. As for how they knew to bring her here, all of your tags, Id, and photo information are in the system. If any of you are injured in any way, there are orders for you to be brought here. We can't have anyone trying to get their hands on Airwolf when you're vulnerable.

"And here I thought you just wanted us to have the very best care," Dom replied sarcastically. "Humph, I should have known."

Michael tried to ignore Dom's comment and continued. "Apparently a drunk driver ran a red light and plowed right into the side of Caitlin's car," he said. "Witnesses said that they don't even think she saw it coming."

String leaned up against the corridor wall and closed his eyes. "She's just got to be okay," he said quietly.

Dom walked over to his friend and put his hand on String's shoulder. "Come on," he said. "Let's go and sit down."

Then he turned to Archangel. "Michael, let us know as soon as you hear something."

The two sat down in a tiny quiet waiting room. There were only four chairs and a small water cooler. Dom paced back and forth, stopping occasionally for water. Hawke sat motionless in the chair with his eyes closed. He pictured Caitlin at the cabin in his mind. He thought about all the good times they'd had there recently and how happy she'd made him.

Suddenly he spoke up. "I don't know what I'm going to do without her Dom."

Dom stopped his pacing and sat down in the chair across from Hawke. "Don't talk like that kid," he replied. "She's not going anywhere. You've got to have faith."

Michael took the two men off guard when he replied. "He's right Hawke, she's not going anywhere."

String opened his eyes and stood up. "How is she Michael?"

"She's pretty banged up," he replied. "Fortunately, she didn't need surgery. She suffered a dislocated shoulder and a concussion. She's still unconscious but you can go in and see her now if you'd like."

Hawke breathed in deeply and then exhaled to steady his nerves. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Follow me," replied Michael.

Michael led them down to the end of the corridor and slowly pushed open the door to Caitlin's room. As the men entered, Hawke was startled at Caitlin's appearance.

Noticing his reaction, Michael spoke up. "It looks worse than it is," he said.

String tried hard to keep his emotions in check. Caitlin's face was badly bruised and she had a black eye. Her head was heavily bandaged and her left arm was in a sling. He could feel himself shaking as he got near her bed.

Dom was quiet. He moved to the opposite side of the bed from Hawke and took her hand that wasn't in a sling into his hand. He squeezed it lightly. "Come on Cait," he said. You hang in there sweetheart."

Hawke felt as though he were having a panic attack. He turned around quickly and ran out of the room. When he got back out into the hall he slumped down against the wall and sat on the floor. He sat there for several minutes before Dom came out of the room and stood in front of him.

"Are you okay?" Dom asked.

String looked up at him. Dom couldn't help but notice the sadness in his eyes.

"Don't worry about me," he replied quietly. "This is my fault Dom. If I hadn't been acting like such an ass, none of this would have happened."

"Come on String," Dom replied. "You don't know that. Yeah, you shouldn't have acted the way you did but you didn't cause this. Besides, the doctor says that she's going to be fine."

A few hours later Hawke found himself back in Caitlin's room. He didn't know why he was so nervous to be in there. He pulled up a chair to her bed and held her hand. It scared him at how still she was. He thought about how he missed her voice and her smile. His mind drifted back to the day she came to Santini Air to find him.

"Nothing was going to stop her," he thought to himself. "She was determined to find me."

He remembered how surprised he was to see her but more than that, he was happy to see her. He had no idea at that time the impact that she would end up making in his life.

Dom came in carrying coffee and sat down beside him. "Here," he said handing him a cup. "I figured you'd need this."

"Thanks," said Hawke. "I was just thinking about the day she walked into Santini Air. How one person can make such an impact really surprises me."

Dom chuckled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I can't even imagine what life would be like if she hadn't shown up when she did," he replied. "She sure has brightened the place up."

String smiled. "She sure has," he said. "I just wish she'd wake up."

"Give it time," replied Dom. "The doctor said it would probably be morning before she regained consciousness."

Both men spent the night in Caitlin's room. String slept in a large chair while Dom had them bring in a cot for him. Neither man could bring themselves to leave her side until she woke up.

Just after sunrise, Caitlin began to stir. Her head felt heavy and she noticed that someone was holding her hand. Slowly her eyes began to focus on the handsome man that sat across from her.

She squeezed his hand and he quickly sat up. "Caitlin? Are you okay?" he asked.

She stared at him a moment and as if surprised she asked, "Stringfellow Hawke? Where am I? What are you doing here?"

Overhearing the conversation, Dom got up from the cot and walked over to the couple. "Welcome back Cait," he said. "It's so good to see you're finally awake."

Caitlin stared at him. "Do I know you?" she asked. "Your voice sounds familiar but I don't think we've ever met."

The two men looked at each other and then turned back to Caitlin. "Cait, what's the last thing you remember?" Hawke asked.

She gave them a strange look before answering. "I just quit my job as a flying meter maid. Did I crash my helicopter or something?" she asked. "What hospital am I in?"

Hawke squeezed her hand before responding. "Take it easy. We're going to have the doctor come and take a look at you," he said. "Don't worry you're going to be fine."

It was over an hour before Michael met the two men in the waiting room with news on Caitlin's status.

"How is she Michael?" Hawke asked.

"Well, I have good news and bad news," he replied. "The good news is that tests show no swelling or damage to the brain."

"And the bad news?" asked Dom.

"She is apparently suffering from a form of amnesia," he replied. "The doctor's aren't sure why. She seems to remember everything just right up to the time she came to California. But, she doesn't recall ever coming here."

"Does she know where she's at?" Hawke asked. "What did you tell her?"

"We told her that she tracked you down here and stayed," Michael replied. "That's about it. The doctors want her to recall the rest on her own. They've asked that you tell her minimum information. Hopefully, in time, she'll remember the rest."

"What if she never remembers Michael?" Hawke asked.

"Then you'll have a choice to make," he replied. "Take her in and have her learn everything all over again or send her home so that she never learns about Airwolf or anything else related to it."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hawke and Dom spent the rest of the evening at Santini Air. They were told that Caitlin's mental and physical health needed to be evaluated and they wouldn't be able to see her again until the next morning.

Hawke was quieter than usual as they cleaned and got ready to lock up for the evening. He thought about all the things the three of them had done together over the past few years since Caitlin came to Santini Air.

"You were right Dom," he said out of the blue.

Dom stared at him. "Right about what?"

Hawke tried to smile. "Caitlin," he replied. "It was fate that brought her to us. I've thought about this a hundred times. Every time I've wanted to push her away because I was afraid she would become part of my curse, I've thought about it."

"Oh yeah," said Dom.

"Caitlin wouldn't be here today if hadn't gone to Texas and got involved with that Sheriff," String replied. "We wouldn't have made it out of Horn's compound if it weren't for her. She was destined to be in our lives. It took me over two years to realize that."

Dom smiled. "That's why you finally told her that you loved her, isn't it?"

String sighed. "Yeah, and now she doesn't even remember it. To me that's kind of a cruel twist of fate."

"Oh String, give it time. She'll remember. I just know it."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AA

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Caitlin was sleeping soundly when she was suddenly awaken by a nurse and carefully moved into a wheel chair. Still very sore, Caitlin almost cried out in pain.

"What's going on?" she asked "It's kind of late for more tests isn't it?

The nurse just smiled and wheeled Caitlin out of the room and down the hall. They entered the elevator and went down to the basement floor of the hospital.

"Basement? Why are we going to the basement?" she asked.

Once again the nurse didn't reply. She wheeled Caitlin into a small room with a table and two chairs. Caitlin was pushed up to the table, still in the wheelchair.

"Someone will be with you in a moment," said the nurse. "This will only take a few minutes and then I'll come and take you back to your room."

Caitlin sat nervously at the table. Two very well dressed men walked into the room. As they sat down at the table with her, she noticed a slide projector and screen on the opposite side of the room.

"What's going on here?" she asked. "Is this another mental evaluation?"

After what seemed an eternity to Caitlin, one of the men finally spoke up. "Miss O'Shaughnessy, I'm Mr. Smith and this is my colleague Mr. Jones."

Caitlin almost laughed. "Smith and Jones? Really?" she asked. "You couldn't come up with something more original than that?"

The men remained emotionless. "I'm afraid we need your help Miss O'Shaughnessy. You see you were helping us before you lost your memory," he continued. "Now, it's even more imperative that you continue your mission."

Caitlin gave the men a strange look. "What are you talking about? What mission?"

Suddenly the lights went dark and the projector was turned on. A photo of String in his Airwolf flight suit lit up half of the screen.

"Do you remember this man?" one of the men asked.

Cait was hesitant. "Yeah, that's Stringfellow Hawke."

"Good," replied the second man. "He is your mission. You see, he has stolen a very special helicopter from us."

"The black battleship with rotors," she said under her breath.

"What was that?" asked the first man.

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "First of all, who is us and why would he steal it from you?"

"We are the United States government. He took it from us for his own financial gain. The helicopter is called Airwolf."

Caitlin was quiet for a moment. She remembered very little about Hawke since she had only met him briefly but it was hard to picture him as a thief.

"You're saying this guy is a traitor?" she asked. "How in the world can I help you?"

The next slide that came up was a picture of Caitlin with String and Dom. She was also wearing the Airwolf flight suit.

"Oh my gosh," she replied. "Did I fly that helicopter?"

"Yes, you did. The only problem is that they would never tell you where they kept it. You were close to finding out before your accident," the man replied sternly. "We need you to get back in there and find out."

"How can I do that?" she replied. "How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

"When you are released from the hospital, he will be taking you home with him. You will know we are telling you the truth when he refuses to talk about or even denies that Airwolf exists."

"Be persistent," the other man spoke up. "You are our last hope at getting Airwolf back into the hands of the government where it belongs. We'll contact you in approximately a week after your release to get any information you are able to obtain. For your safety, you will find a small handgun in your things when you leave."

Before Caitlin could respond further, the two men turned the lights back on and left. The nurse came back in and immediately returned Caitlin to her room.

Caitlin lay in bed thinking about what she was just told. She couldn't understand how she would have gotten involved with the government and Hawke in the first place. All her life she fought for what was right. She believed in following the letter of the law.

"There is no way I would have broken the law and flown that helicopter," she thought. "It must be true. I had to have been helping the government. Why would they lie to me?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

String and Dom sat in the waiting room for the doctors to evaluate Caitlin's health to determine if she should be released from the hospital. It had been four days since the accident. Caitlin had a lot of questions about her involvement with Hawke and Dom beyond what the men had told her. Michael and the hospital were explained away as being connected to one of the movie studios that Dom and Hawke fly stunts for. She was only told that she works for Santini Air and sometimes flies movie stunts too.

"How long is this going to take?" asked Hawke who was getting nervous about taking Caitlin home with them.

"Michael said it would be about an hour," replied Dom.

Dom stared at String. He had never seen him this way. He was sweating and appeared very nervous.

"String, what's going on with you?"

Hawke stared at his friend before answering. "I don't know what to say to her Dom. The last two days have been just idle chit chat. We're taking her home and I don't know what to talk to her about. The doctors say to limit the information to her specific questions in order to allow her to recall things on her own but what about or relationship? What do I say?"

Dom chuckled. "String, calm down and breathe. It's going to be alright. This is Caitlin were talking about. Just go back to the first day she came to us and take it from there. And don't forget, she's the best thing that ever happened to us."

Caitlin over heard Dom's part of their conversation as the nurse pushed her in a wheel chair out into the corridor.

"Wow," she said. "That was a really nice thing to say Mr. Santini."

Dom smiled at her. "Call me Dom," he replied. "I meant every word of it. You are the best thing that ever happened to us. I know soon enough, you'll remember it all."

Caitlin tried to hide her nervousness. "These two are so nice," she thought. "It's so hard to believe they're traitors. This is going to be much harder than I thought."

She had wanted to go to her place. String and Dom had to try to explain why she currently didn't have her own apartment.

"Where do I live?" she asked.

"Well, it's a long story," replied Dom. "You left and came back. You haven't quite settled back into your own place again. Most of your things are in storage."

"Then where have I been staying?" she asked anxiously.

"You've been staying up at the cabin with me until you find a new place," replied Hawke. "That's partly the truth," he thought. "I don't think she's ready for the real reason."

Caitlin recalled what the men had told her the night before.

"Oh, is that where we're going now?" she asked.

"Yeah, if that's okay with you," said String.

"I don't see as I have much choice in the matter," said Caitlin.

Caitlin could see the concern in String's eyes. There was something about him that comforted her. It was the same when she first met him. He had saved her from the Sheriff and his men. She felt oddly close to him. "What is it that I'm not remembering?" she thought. "There's just something about him."

"Cait, we don't want you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable," said Hawke as he helped her up from the wheelchair.

Caitlin grabbed his arm almost instinctively. "It's okay," she replied. "I'll admit that I'm a little nervous about this, but I'm sure that'll pass soon enough."

Hawke smiled at her. "I promise you have nothing to be nervous about," he replied. "Just give it some time."

The nurse handed Dom Caitlin's overnight bag and the men escorted her out to the awaiting helicopter. The flight to the cabin felt like an eternity to Caitlin. Her mind drifted to the meeting with the men a few nights before.

"I've got to figure out how to get them to tell me about this helicopter," she thought. "But first I need to try and understand how I fit into their lives. Dom said I was the best thing that ever happened to them. I wonder why? None of this makes sense to me. I wish I could remember."

Dom pulled Caitlin out of her apparent daydream. "Caitlin, are you doing okay?" he asked. "We're almost there."

"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied. "Losing over two years of my life is kind of scary and a little weird at the same time."

"I'm sure it is," said Dom. "I have faith that it's just a matter of time before you remember it all. In the mean time, we're here for you."

Caitlin smiled at him. "Thanks," she replied. "I appreciate that."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As they landed on the peer, Caitlin looked around and saw String's cabin and the lake. She was blown away by the beauty of it all. "Wow, you live here?" she asked. "This is so beautiful."

"Yeah, well I like it," replied String. "It's a nice quiet place to get away from it all."

Hawke escorted her inside and showed her a room off the back of the cabin that she would be staying in. He had moved all her things in there while she was in the hospital and made it as comfortable as possible.

"Look kids," said Dom. "I need to go. I'll be back tomorrow. In the meantime, if you need anything, just call."

Caitlin tried to hide her surprise. "He's leaving me alone with Hawke," she thought. "Calm down Cait, you can handle this."

"See you tomorrow Dom," said String.

Caitlin and Hawke followed Dom out and watched him leave from the porch of the cabin. The weather was getting a little cool and Hawke noticed that Caitlin was shivering.

"Would you like for me to start fire?" he asked. "Then I can make us something to eat."

Caitlin smiled at him. "That sounds great. I am so tired of hospital food. It will be nice to have just about anything else."

Hawke started the fire and then headed to the kitchen. Caitlin sat on the couch and marveled at the artwork that filled the room. Then her mind drifted back to the night that she met with the two men in the basement. She wondered how she got involved in with Hawke and Dom in the first place. "Maybe if I can figure out how I ended up in their lives in the first place, I'll find the answer to where they are keeping this helicopter," she thought.

String noticed her silence and sensed that she was uncomfortable with the situation. "I've got to tell her enough to help her understand why she belongs in our lives," he thought.

"Caitlin, are you okay?" he asked. "Dinner is almost done. I've made your favorite pasta. It's actually Dom's recipe but you always like it when I make it."

She smiled at him and moved over to the bar. "It smells great," she said. "I hope you know that I appreciate your hospitality. It's just that…..well, nothing seems familiar at all. I was hoping it would but it doesn't. I have so many questions and I know you aren't supposed to tell me everything but do you think you could at least fill in some of the gaps?"

String placed a plate of pasta in front of her on the bar and sat down beside her. "I'll do what I can. Maybe if I tell you how you ended up here, it'll jog some of your memory."

As they ate, Hawke described to Caitlin most of her first few days there. He left out the part about Holly and decided that would be shared another time. No need for it right then. He told Caitlin that she had brought his friend's remains back to California and that Dom promised her a stunt in a movie.

"Actually, the director gave me copy of our part and your stunt before they edited it all into the movie," he said. "Do you want to see it?"

"Sure, I'd love to," she replied.

String found the tape and placed it into the VCR. He turned on the television and adjusted the volume. Caitlin watched as the director asked them to kiss twice, the last one going much longer than she was comfortable watching. Then she went up and did the stunt.

"Wow, I can't believe I did that," she said.

"The kiss or the stunt?" he asked jokingly.

Caitlin laughed. "The stunt," she replied. "I know that I know how to kiss."

String chuckled. "Yeah, you sure do."

Hawke found it amusing that Caitlin's face turned slightly pink at his comment. "She has no idea what else we've done," he thought.

Caitlin tried to change the subject. "So, why did I stay after that? Why not deliver your friend and go home?"

String sighed deeply. "Well, I'm not totally sure," he said. "You wanted a job here so Dom gave you one. I don't know. You just kept coming around. We liked having you there. In the blink of an eye, two years went by. Now I can't imagine you not being at Santini Air or in our lives."

"What about the big black helicopter?" she asked, thinking it was a good time to take a chance. "Did I ever fly it?"

"What big black helicopter?" he asked.

"The one you blew up the Pope County jail with," she replied. "The one you saved my life in. I do remember that."

String wanted to change the conversation. He wasn't ready for her to know about Airwolf again. He hadn't decided if she should know. "In her current state, she's safer not knowing," he thought.

"You always thought there was one but you're wrong. There wasn't a big black helicopter," he finally said.

"Damn," she thought. "They were right. He won't tell me about it. But according to those photos, I knew about it before. I wonder why he's lying to me."

"Okay," she hesitantly replied. "So I guess I stayed because I thought doing movie stunts was more exciting than flying highway patrol."

"Could be," said Hawke. "You never really said. You just stayed. We were glad you did."

"Sure you are," she thought. "If I mean so much to you, why are you lying to me? Maybe that's all a lie too."

After a few awkward moments, Caitlin finally stood up and moved towards the room that Hawke had set up for her. "I'm really tired," she said. "I think I'll go and get some sleep."

Hawke showed her where to find towels and extra blankets if she needed them. After she went to bed he sat on the couch awhile and waited for the fire to slowly burn out. He thought about that first day she came to them. He pictured her face and her smile as well as the shine in her eyes when she first asked about Airwolf. That shine or childlike curiosity wasn't there this time. Something was different. He couldn't put his finger on it but something about their conversation bugged him. Thinking she should be asleep by that time, he contacted Dom.

"Dom," he said. "She's already asking about Airwolf."

"What'd you tell her?" he asked.

"I told her what I originally told her when she first came to us. I told her there was no big black helicopter. She doesn't need to know," he replied.

"Look kid, it's your decision but I don't think lying to her now is the best thing. I know you're worried about her but what harm will it do to tell her the truth?"

"A lot of harm could come from her knowing the truth," said Hawke. "I just think it's a secret we need to keep."

Hawke had no idea that Caitlin was up and had overheard his conversation. She quietly shut her door and lay back down on the bed. "Somehow I've got to get you to tell me the truth and show me where you keep that machine," she said quietly to herself. "You can't steal from the government and get away with it. Nice guy or not, you will have to pay for this Stringfellow Hawke."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Caitlin waited until Hawke went to bed before coming out of her room. She wanted to search the cabin for clues as to where he might be keeping Airwolf. She was sure he wasn't keeping it nearby so she thought there might be something among his books and papers as to its whereabouts. She had a hard time getting around because her body still ached from the impact of the accident. Her arm was still in a sling since it would take time for her shoulder to heal. She quietly pulled several books at a time from the shelf and began thumbing through them. After finding nothing but old literature books on the first shelf, she came across a book of poems. There were a lot of handwritten comments in it so she quietly moved back to her bedroom to study it further.

The book was filled with sad and tragic poems. On several of them Hawke had written dedications to various people in his life that he loved and loss. The comments brought tears to Caitlin's eyes. In the back of the book was a folded handwritten note. Caitlin opened it and read the first part before quickly folding it back up because she felt she couldn't evade his privacy any further. The part she read said "There is no poem that could ease the pain of losing you. I will never love anyone the way I have loved you."

Caitlin put the note back in the book and went back out to put the book away. As soon as she had placed it on the bookshelf, she heard Hawke stirring in the loft.

"Caitlin? Is that you?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "I couldn't sleep so I was looking for a good book to read."

Hawke looked down at her from the loft. "You use to like the reading the ones on the bottom shelf. I think there is one with a bookmark that you were still in the progress of reading. Of course, at this point I guess you'll need to start over."

"Thanks," she replied as she searched for and found the book he mentioned and went back to her room.

Caitlin sat back down on her bed and let out a deep breath. "What the heck am I doing?" she thought. "How in the world do these men think I'm going to be able to find this helicopter when I've already been here for over two years and haven't found where he keeps it? I'm missing something here. None of this makes any sense to me. If only I could remember."

She sat the book aside and lay back down on the bed. Her mind drifted back to those poems and the letter she found at the end. Hawke didn't seem like a man who would steal from the government for his own personal gains. "I wonder if it has anything to do with all of these losses he's experienced," she thought. "Pain and loss can change a man and drive him to do things he wouldn't normally do."

Suddenly her goal changed from just locating Airwolf. She wanted to figure out just exactly who Stringfellow Hawke really was. "After all, he did save my life," she thought. "That much I do remember."

Tired and drained, Caitlin finally drifted off to sleep. When she awoke she could smell breakfast cooking. She got up slowly, dressed and went out to greet Hawke who was sitting at the bar eating.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked.

"A little stiff," she replied. "Breakfast smells great though."

Hawke smiled at her. "Dom can't make it back until this evening. I thought maybe we'd take a walk after breakfast if you feel up to it."

"Sure," she replied. "I would love some fresh air. I'd also like to get to know you better. I know the doctors want you to avoid telling me everything about what I've been doing the past two years but that doesn't mean I can't learn more about you does it?"

"Yeah, I guess that would be okay. But, there's not a lot to tell," he replied.

"I don't believe that," she replied. "Your life seems far more exciting than mine."

String's mind drifted back to her first Airwolf mission with him. She wanted excitement so badly and she got it. He knew that she never regretted it either. No matter the situation, in the end, she bounced back. He loved that about her. Her eyes lit up whenever she was in or around Airwolf. It was the same when she was with him. He use to wonder which one she loved the most but she had convinced him that he was the reason she stayed in California, not Airwolf. He wished he could tell her all of that. He wished more that she could remember it all on her own. He wanted so badly to hold her and kiss her again.

"Hawke, are you okay?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah," he replied. "Sorry, I was just thinking back to not long after we met. You use to talk a lot about wanting excitement in your life."

"I did? I guess that shouldn't surprise me". She said. "My dad use to tease me and say I was like Luke Skywalker, always looking to the sky for more excitement."

String chuckled at her comment. "Well, excitement can be good but I kind of prefer it here where things are nice and quiet. Let me know when you are you ready to take that walk?"

Caitlin finished up her eggs and put her plate in the sink. After putting her shoes on she was ready to go. Hawke didn't say too much to her at first. He waited for her to ask him questions. She was unusually quiet and he wondered if she was remembering anything about being there before. He knew she was going to ask him questions about himself but her first question took him by surprise.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Hawke, have you been with a lot of women?" asked Caitlin.

String stopped walking and turned to her. Even when she had her memory, Caitlin never asked him anything like that. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Oh, sorry, I don't mean to get too personal. I was just wondering if you were the playboy type," she replied.

Caitlin couldn't tell him that she wanted badly to find out something negative about him. Up until now, he seemed like a great guy. No one could be that perfect. There had to be something bad about him.

"I guess I've been with my share," he replied, hoping she wouldn't probe further into that topic.

She placed her hand on his arm coaxed him into continuing their walk. Her touch made him relax. "This is Cait," he thought. "You love her and someday she'll remember that. Tell her what she needs to know."

"So why aren't you married?" she asked.

"Well, it's a long story," he replied. "I guess you can say that fate and destiny haven't been very kind to me over the years."

The two walked down to the lake and sat down by the edge of the water. String told her about all of the losses he'd experienced and about his brother. He skipped a lot of the details about Gabrielle to avoid bringing up Airwolf. Still, she understood the magnitude of pain he had suffered. She had really already known that from the poetry book she found the night before.

"Are you ready to go back to the cabin?" he asked.

"Sure, I could use something to drink." Caitlin said as she stood up. For a moment, she became dizzy and nearly collapsed. String caught her and helped her stand.

Hawke's concern grew. He knew it was still too soon for her to be doing too much after the accident but he didn't think a walk would cause any problems.

Caitlin seemed to be in a momentary trance. Flashes of memories came to her and left just as quickly. She saw herself hiding in Airwolf and Hawke shooting Dom. She had a flash of her sitting on the floor with Hawke and he had tears in his eyes. None of it made sense to her. But she had a question she needed answered.

"Caitlin, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm okay. I think I'm getting flashes of memory."

String smiled. "Cait, that's great. Maybe it'll all come back to you soon."

She interrupted him. "I just need to know Hawke. I see it in my mind. That big black helicopter that you say doesn't exist. It's real, isn't it? If not then I think I'm going crazy."

She hated to play with on his sympathy that way but Caitlin felt that might be the only way to get him to tell her the truth.

"Let's sit back down," he said. He eased her back down to the ground and supported her back with his arm before continuing. "It's a long story Caitlin. There is a helicopter but I feel that for your safety, we should wait until you get your memory back to discuss it."

"Look Hawke, I'm not some weak little girl," she replied. "I can handle the truth, whatever it is."

"Caitlin, I don't want to argue with you but this isn't something I'm going to discuss with you right now. You're just going to have to trust me on this one."

"I want so badly to trust you," she thought to herself. "I feel so close to you. But how can I trust you if you're not honest with me?"

"Okay," she finally replied. "Let's go back to the cabin now. I'm really tired."

Caitlin didn't say another word on the way back to the cabin. When they got back, she went straight to her room and lay down. She wouldn't even look at him.

String felt bad for not telling her the whole story. He wanted badly to tell her everything about Airwolf and their relationship but out of instinct he felt it was best to wait. He had no idea how tired he was when he plopped down on the couch and swung his legs up to lay down. He adjusted the pillow behind his head and slowly drifted off to sleep.

While lying in bed, Caitlin's flashes of memory continued. She saw herself flying in Airwolf with String and Dom. She recalled being locked up and strapped to a bomb. Then it came to her. She remembered where Airwolf was kept. "Whatever is going on here is dangerous," she said to herself. "I'll give you that much Hawke. But these memories don't show that you were all that concerned about me before now. I know where you're keeping that big black helicopter and I'm going to go and get it."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hoping to finish this one tonight while I have the time. Thanks so much for the reviews! :o)_

Chapter 8

A few hours later Hawke was awakened by the sound of a helicopter. He slowly got up from the couch and walked out to the porch. He was expecting Dom but he wasn't expecting to see who Dom had brought with him. Michael and Marella were following behind Santini as he walked up to the cabin.

"What's going on Michael?" asked Hawke. "I wasn't expecting to see you for awhile."

"Well, I wish I were here on a social call Hawke but I have some news that you're not going to like," Archangel replied.

"Where's Cait?" asked Dom. "We really need to talk to you first, without her around."

"She's in bed asleep. We went for a walk earlier and it made her tired. She's still recuperating from the accident." Hawke sat down on the porch steps. "What's so important?"

Michael joined him on the steps. "You know that we had Caitlin under surveillance the entire time she was in the hospital."

"Yeah, so what are you getting at Michael," replied Hawke.

Marella spoke up. "I was reviewing the tapes and found a discrepancy from the second night she was there. It seems that someone hacked in and looped the video. We realized that it was possible that someone either visited her or took her from her room that night."

"What the hell?" said Hawke. "I should have known something like this would happen. Let me guess, the Firm's involved."

Michael shook his head. "Believe me Hawke I didn't know anything about this. They did it behind my back. After much coaxing and quite a few threats I was able to find out that they convinced her you were a traitor who took Airwolf for your own monetary gain. They asked her to help them locate it and retrieve it from you."

"Damn it Michael, no wonder she's been asking me about Airwolf," said Hawke. "I thought she was just curious like she was when she first came to Santini Air. I need to go and talk to her."

"That's why we came," replied Michael. "I figured we could help you convince her of the truth."

String stood up and went into the cabin. He knocked on Caitlin's door but she didn't answer. "Caitlin? Are you okay?" he asked. He became nervous when she still didn't answer. He finally opened the door to see an empty bed and an open window. Quickly he ran back outside to the others.

"She's gone," he said. "I'm not sure how long but I know I was only asleep a few hours."

"She couldn't have gotten too far," said Dom.

String shook his head. "If she made it to the main road and hitchhiked, she could be long gone by now. My best bet is to go and get the lady. Dom, I think you should stay here just in case she returns. I'll drop Michael and Marella off on my way."

Michael sighed. "I'm sorry Hawke. I really am. Oh, one thing I need to mention. They gave her a small handgun so be careful."

"Ah, nah, Cait wouldn't try and hurt String, would she?" asked Dom.

Marella spoke up. "If she really believes he's a traitor she might. Remember she's a cop. She believes in following the law and she thinks Hawke has broken it."

"I'm not worried Dom," replied Hawke. "I just want to find her."

It seemed like an eternity to Hawke when he finally reached the lair and retrieved Airwolf. He flew back to the cabin and did and aerial search and scan of the area.

He contacted Dom to let him know of the results. "I found nothing Dom," he said. "She's long gone. I just wish I knew where she went."

"It's hard to say," Dom replied. "She has no memory of anything in California and I doubt she'd go back to Texas now. She thinks they need her to find Airwolf."

"That's it Dom," String said. "She wants Airwolf. What if she remembered where the lair is? I'm going back there now."

"Be careful. Remember she has a gun," said Dom.

"Don't worry, I will." String said as he turned Airwolf around and headed back to the lair.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

String hovered and then slowly lowered Airwolf into the lair. He climbed out and shut the pilot side door. It was quiet but he couldn't help but sense that she was there.

"Caitlin," he called out. "I know you're here. You can come out now."

It took a few minutes but slowly, she came out of the shadow of the entrance. She had the gun in her hand pointed straight at him.

"Move away from the helicopter," she said. "I'm taking it out of here and you're not going to stop me."

String moved closer to her. "I'm sorry but I can't let you do that Cait."

Caitlin backed up slightly. "Stay back," she yelled. "I don't want to shoot you but I will if I have to."

Hawke could tell she was conflicted. "Somewhere inside of her she has to feel something for me," he thought. "If only I could get her to remember."

"Caitlin," said String. "Please put the gun down."

Hawke moved closer to her and continued to talk to her in a soft, yet stern tone.

"No," she replied. "You're a traitor. You stole Airwolf for your own benefit and tricked me into helping you all this time."

"You know that's not true," he replied. "If you could just try and remember. You know why I have her and you've always supported me and understood. They lied to you. Caitlin you have got to try and remember."

Caitlin held the gun tighter. Her hands were shaking. She knew she was a good shot, so did he. She could take him down in an instant but something was holding her back. There was something about what he was saying and the way he was saying it.

"What if I'm wrong," she thought. "What if he's telling me the truth?"

"No, you're lying to me again," she said. "Just like you did when you said this helicopter didn't exist."

String moved closer. "Please Caitlin, put down the gun," he urged. "I'll find a way to prove it. Just give me a chance. Caitlin, please, I'm your friend, not your enemy. I was just trying to protect you."

He moved in arms reach of her. She stood extremely still, looking deep into his eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off his. Visions of the past flashed rapidly in her mind. She saw laughs, hugs, kisses. He knew he was getting through to her so he moved even closer.

"Caitlin, I'm your friend," he said again. "There's no way you'll pull that trigger."

This time he reached and took the gun from her hand. He quickly threw it several feet away back into the shadows of the cave. Then he took both of his hands and placed them on her waist, pulling her to him gently as to not hurt her injured shoulder.

"Friend?" she asked softly.

"And lover," Hawke whispered as he pulled her to him and kissed her so long and so passionately that she nearly lost her breath. When he felt her respond, he knew he had his Caitlin back.

Tears ran down Caitlin's face when they separated.

"Oh my God Hawke, I nearly killed you," she said. "I'm so sorry."

String brushed the tears from her face with the back of his fingers.

"Shhh, it's okay baby," he replied. "It's okay."

"These two men from the government," she continued. "They told me you were a traitor and I was supposed to help them get Airwolf back."

String continued to console her quietly. "Shh…it's okay. Michael found out about them. That's how I knew you'd be here. I know. It's not your fault."

He looked into her eyes. Finally, he could see the spark that had been missing since her accident. He hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Do you remember everything now?" he asked.

To his surprise she pulled away from him. "I….I think so," she replied. "Let's get out of here and back to the cabin. I'm suddenly not feeling so good."

_One more chapter to go…._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Caitlin was quiet on the way back to the cabin. String knew she had been through a lot so he restrained from asking her any questions about her memories.

"It'll wait until tomorrow," he thought. "Right now, just knowing she remembers is all that matters."

String called ahead and let Dom know they were coming back. He relayed the message to Michael and Marella and let them know that all was well with Caitlin. She was no longer a threat to Airwolf.

By the time they got back home, Caitlin had fallen asleep. String gently picked her up and carried her into the cabin. He opted to move her upstairs to his bed instead of the room she had been staying in. He laid her down and took off her shoes before covering her up with a blanket and sheet. Then he quietly went back downstairs to join Dom.

"You can sleep in the back room tonight if you want," he told Dom. "I figured Caitlin wouldn't mind the loft now that she has her memory back."

"Nah, I think I'm going to head out of here in a minute," Dom replied. "After all you've been through, you two deserve a little time alone."

Hawke let out a sigh of relief. "That's something I never want to go through again. She really scared the hell out of me this time."

"Do you think she really would have shot you?" asked Dom as he got up and walked to the cabin door.

Hawke followed behind him as they walked out onto the porch. "I don't think so. Deep down, a part of her had to feel some connection to me."

Dom leaned in and hugged String. "Good night kid. Take good care of our girl. I'll call you to tomorrow to see how she's doing."

Hawke sat outside for several minutes after Dom had left. He breathed in the cool night air and felt himself finally relax. He went inside and closed the door behind him. Quietly, he ascended the stairs to the loft. Caitlin was still soundly asleep in his bed. He kicked off his shoes and climbed in beside her. Gently, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her before drifting off to sleep.

String was awakened by the sun drifting into the bedroom. He felt mentally and physically drained by the past several days but he was relieved that it was all over. He rolled over to find that Caitlin was no longer in bed with him. He got up and headed downstairs to find her. He tensed up and felt his heart beat quicken at the thought that she might be gone again. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he let out a sigh of relief. She was sitting on one end of the couch staring out of the adjacent window.

"Caitlin, are you okay?" he asked quietly as he moved to sit beside her. "I was worried when you weren't there when I woke up."

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I didn't mean to worry you."

String could see that she had been crying. He moved closer to her and put his arms around her. "You're not still upset about last night are you? You know that wasn't your fault?" he asked.

"No, I know that," she replied.

String waited to say anything else to her. He didn't want to push her but he wanted to know why she was crying. He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. When he pulled away he looked into her eyes.

"What's wrong Cait? Please tell me. Is there something you still don't remember?"

Caitlin pulled away from him and got up from the couch. She stood by the window and looked out as she spoke. "What was bugging you the day of the accident? Was it something I did?"

Hawke stood up and walked behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one who was in the wrong. I should have told you what was going on," he replied. "The night before, I found a letter that Gabrielle had written and left for me in one of my books."

Caitlin remembered the book of poems and the letter in the back. The thought of what she read broke her heart. "He'll never love me the way he loved her."

She couldn't stop the tears from coming. She didn't even want to look at him. Instead, she pulled away and ran outside of the cabin. She kept running until she reached the lake.

String chased behind her. "Caitlin," he yelled. "Please stop."

She quit running and allowed him to catch up to her. "Caitlin, Gabrielle is gone. You're the love of my life. That's not going to change," he said.

Caitlin turned and looked at him. His expression seemed so sincere. She loved him with all her heart. But would that be enough?

"Hawke, I did something I shouldn't have done the other night," she said. "I was looking through your books to try and find some information on Airwolf. That's when you heard me down there."

"It's okay, you didn't realize what you were doing," he responded putting his hands on her shoulders. "Is this why you're so upset?"

She continued. "I didn't mean to snoop into your private stuff but I found your book of poems."

"Oh," he replied. "It's okay. I would have shared them with you eventually."

She pulled away from him again. "No, it's not okay," she replied. "I found the letter you wrote in the back. I only read the first two lines before I realized I was prying too deep in your personal stuff and put it away. Still, you said that you would never love anyone the way you loved her. It makes me question if you really love me at all."

To Caitlin's surprise Hawke started to laugh and then his expression turned serious. "So that's what this is all about?"

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back towards the cabin. "Come with me," he insisted.

Caitlin followed him back up to the cabin. When they got inside he insisted she sit on the couch as he moved over to the bookshelf and retrieved the letter from the book of poems.

"Read it," he said. "But this time read the whole thing."

Caitlin slowly unfolded the letter and began to read it.

It said:

**There is no poem that could ease the pain of losing you. I will never love anyone the way I have loved you. I pray to God that you get your memory back soon and I can hold you in my arms again. It's only been a few days and I miss you so much already.**

Once again tears filled Caitlin's eyes. "This was about me?" she asked.

Hawke sat down beside her. "Of course it is. I realized after finding that letter from Gabrielle that I've never loved anyone the way I love you."

Caitlin quickly stood up and moved over to the fireplace. String got up and followed her. He could see a look of determination in her face.

"What the…?" that was all he could get out before she grabbed him and threw him down on the floor.

"What was that for?" he asked, still in shock.

She smiled. "I said I was going to drop you on your ass for acting the way you did. I figured you still deserved it."

He was about to object but a moment later she jumped on top of him, forcing him to lay back onto the floor. Her kiss and the feel of her body made him forget about the pain he had felt when he fell. "I'm so happy to have her back," he thought. "There's no one else like my Cait."

The End


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